Lettering template

ABSTRACT

A lettering template for use with stylographic pens and the like having a transparent stencil overlay with symbol cutouts therein located in a line parallel to the free longitudinal edges of the template, wherein the template is provided with a medial thickened portion spaced inwardly from the longitudinal edges a greater distance than the line of cutouts to form a supporting surface for the template for spacing the stencil overlay and symbol cutouts from a supporting work surface. Additionally, one or more projections can be provided in template corner areas which extend to the plane of the supporting work surface and constituting additional supports for the longitudinal template edges to prevent tipping.

United States Patent 191 Schiiller LETTERING TEMPLATE [75] Inventor: Rolf Schiiller,Henstedt-Ulzburg,

Germany [73] Assignee: Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph, Inc.,

Bloomsbury, NJ.

[22] Filed: Apr. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 244,436

451 July 8,1975

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Floating Triangles, by John R. Cassell Co., Inc., Publication No. C-4602.

Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Assistant Examiner-Willis Little Attorney. Agent, or Firm-David H. Semmes 5 7 ABSTRACT A lettering template for use with stylographic pens and the like having a transparent stencil overlay with symbol cutouts therein located in a line parallel to the free longitudinal edges of the template, wherein the template is provided with a medial thickened portion spaced inwardly from the longitudinal edges a greater distance than the line of cutouts to form a supporting surface for the template for spacing the stencil overlay and symbol cutouts from a supporting work surface. Additionally, one or more projections can be provided in template corner areas which extend to the plane of the supporting work surface and constituting additional supports for the longitudinal template edges to prevent tipping.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures A3005 JKL M/vo'ea s it'ivwxig l 1234551490 LETTERING TEMPLATE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Templates or lettering guides for use with stylographic or funnel type pen nibs and the like must be provided in the overlay sheet, at least in the cutout area of the symbols, means to prevent contact with the work support surface or drawing so that ink will not run at the edges of the cutouts and so that symbols which have been drawn and are still damp will not be smudged when a template is moved. Heretofore and especially in lettering guides there have been provided guide strips arranged along the longitudinal edges of the template which held the entire overlay sheet having the cutout area at a predetermined distance above the surface of the drawing.

Attachment of such guide strips is not only an expensive operation but subsequent to inking of symbols along a given line or area and subsequent symbols are to be drawn necessitating moving of the template downwards, such guides can contact damp inked symbols and cause smudging. A line spacing problem also can exist such that a subsequent symbol line spacing will place the guide strip in the area of previous symbols and in this situation a time increment must be permitted to allow drying of the previously inked symbols.

The present invention provides a template or lettering guide which overcomes these previous drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A lettering template or guide of the type for use with stylographic pens and the like having a transparent stencil overlay with symbol or indicia cutouts therein located in a line parallel to the free longitudinal edges of the template is provided with a medial thickened portion spaced inwardly from the longitudinal edges a greater distance than the line of cutouts and forms a supporting surface for the template which spaces the stencil overlay and symbol cutouts therein from and above a supporting work surface whereon the inked symbols are to be drawn. This area of increased material thickness serves as a support on the drawing base or work surface. The thickened portion or area being spaced inwardly from the symbol cutouts insures that the area of the symbol cutouts and template will remain above the work surface when the guide is moved down and contact with damp symbols or indicia is avoided.

In one embodiment wherein multiple groups or lines of symbol cutouts are provided and which are selectively usable, the area of increased material thickness lies between the lines of cutouts and extends outwardly above the template surfaces on opposed sides thereof such that the template can be turned over and another set of symbols drawn using another set of cutouts which also will be supported above the work support surface. The areas of the overlay in such an embodiment lie in a common plane and the supporting surfaces are located in the middle between two groups of symbol cutouts and the areas containing the cutouts as well as the longitudinal edges of the template will be maintained out of contact with the drawing support.

In a preferred embodiment the area of increased ma terial thickness extends across the entire length of the template and provides a relatively large supporting surface. Additional support ean be achieved by providing at least one projection in a corner area of the guide which extends into the plane of the support surface formed by the area of increased material thickness. Such projections serve as additional supports for the area of the longitudinal edges of the overlay and pre' vent tipping of the template onto the work surface and the relatively small projections minimize smudging of symbols previously inked.

Additional features and objects of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view ofa lettering template according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the template of FIG. 1.

The template or lettering guide generally designated 10, in the embodiment shown in the drawings. includes an overlay sheet consisting of overlay areas [2 and 14 extending along opposite longitudinal edges 16 and 18. lndicia cutouts 20 and 22 are respectively provided in overlay areas 12 and 14. As shown in the drawings, the indicia cutouts 20 and 22 are reversed with respect to one another with the bases of the indicia disposed to ward the middle of the template. The indicia are also formed on or operably positioned on opposite sides of the template for reasons appearing hereinafter. These cutouts, as usual, are milled or molded in during production of the template in, for example, an injection molding process. The two groups of indicia 20 and 22 are in a straight line, each being spaced the same distanee from different longitudinal edges as appears. In the embodiment shown, indicia 20 comprise capital letters while indicia 22 are small letters and when the guide is used with the longitudinal edge 16 the capital letters are at a distance the same as the small letters whenever the guide is used with the longitudinal edge 22 as regards the drawing area and surface.

The template is provided with a medial thickened portion 24 which in the embodiment shown extends continuously the entire length of the template. This thickened medial portion 24 extends an equal height or distance above a central longitudinal plane of the template providing raised extended support surfaces 26 and 28 adapted for template support on a work support surface. The surfaces are equally raised with respect to the overlay surfaces having the cutouts and as a consequence none of the areas containing the symbol cutouts of groups 20 or 22 will come into contact with the drawing support.

In addition to the supporting surfaces 26 and 28, projections 30 and 32 are provided extending from and above overlay area 12 and oppositely disposed and extending above overlay area 14 are projections 34 and 36. Preferably these projections are provided in template corner areas and project from the surfaces in such a manner as to provide additional supports to the supporting surfaces 26 and 28 in order to prevent the template from tipping onto the drawing.

With the template in a drawing position according to FIG. 1 in which both capital letters as well as numbers can be drawn, the guide rests on the supporting surface 26 and on the projections 34 and 36. These projections will prevent any tipping of the template when pressure is exerted on the area of the symbol cutouts 22 and when the template is turned over for the purpose of writing small letters it then rests on the supporting surface 28 and the projections 30 and 32.

it is possible to provide projections in all corner areas and it is contemplated that the supporting surfaces 26 and 28 can be interrupted to provide, in effect, a plurality of smaller supporting surfaces appropriately disposed.

Manifestly. minor changes in details of construction can be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lettering template comprising:

A. a transparent overlay sheet having first and second longitudinally extending edges; and,

B. two groups of symbol cutouts respectively positioned in straight lines parallel to and inwardly placed from each of said longitudinal edges. and at equal distances therefrom. with the symbols in each group on opposite sides of said sheet and having their bases positioned towards a medial area of said sheet having a gradually increased material thickness extending above opposite surfaces of said overlay sheet, said thickened material area inter mediate the groups of symbol cutouts thereby providing raised supporting surfaces at both a top and a bottom side of said overlay sheet. said support surfaces on each side defined in top and bottom support planes which are equally above and below the plane of said overlay sheet; and.

C. a first set of projections extending from said plane of said overlay sheet, near each end of said first longitudinal edge, said first projections terminating at said top support plane; and.

D. a second set of projections extending from said plane of said overlay sheet. near each end of said second longitudinal edge, said second projections terminating at said bottom support plane 

1. A lettering template comprising: A. a transparent overlay sheet having first and second longitudinally extending edges; and, B. two groups of symbol cutouts respectively positioned in straight lines parallel to and inwardly placed from each of said longitudinal edges, and at equal distances therefrom, with the symbols in each group on opposite sides of said sheet and having their bases positioned towards a medial area of said sheet having a gradually increased material thickness extending above opposite surfaces of said overlay sheet, said thickened material area intermediate the groups of symbol cutouts thereby providing raised supporting surfaces at both a top and a bottom side of said overlay sheet, said support surfaces on each side defined in top and bottom support planes which are equally above and below the plane of said overlay sheet; and, C. a first set of projections extending from said plane of said overlay sheet, near each end of said first longitudinal edge, said first projections terminating at said top support plane; and, D. a second set of projections extending from said plane of said overlay sheet, near each end of said second longitudinal edge, said second projections terminating at said bottom support plane. 